Shoulder strap-type garments



April 21, 1959 F. v. PULIAFICO SHOULDER STRAP TYPE GARMENTS Filed May28, 1956 macawnited tatcs Patent SHOULDER STRAP-TYPE GARMENTS Frank V.Puliafico, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Silmar Foundations, Inc., NewYork, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application May 28, 1956, SerialNo. 587,593

1 Claim. (Cl. 128-492) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements and structural refinements in shoulder strap-type garments,and the principal object of the invention is to facilitate a wide rangeof adjustment of the shoulder straps relative to each other and inrelation to the body of such garments, so as to suit the comfort andappearance of the wearer.

In particular, the invention concerns itself with undergarments such asbrassieres or slips wherein the position of the shoulder straps iscritical from the standpoint that they should not be exposed when thebrassiere or slip is worn under an outer dress having a low neck line ora wide neck opening. However, the invention is not restricted tobrassieres and slips, but may be embodied in any type of an undergarmentor outer garment where an adjustable shoulder strap arrangement isdesirable.

One important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a rowof loop-like fastener elements extending in a substantially peripheraldirection on the garment, together with hook-like fastener membersprovided on the shoulder straps for separable, selective engagement withthe loop-like elements, so that the transverse distance between theshoulder straps and the position thereof relative to the garment may bevaried as desired.

Another important feature ,of the invention resides in the provision ofthe aforementioned loop-like elements in a row extending longitudinallyon each shoulder strap while the hook-like members are provided at theupper edge of the garment body, whereby the effective length of theshoulder straps may be adjusted.

In both instances, the adjustments facilitated by the invention may beutilized at the front as well as at the back of the garment and theseparable connection of the loop-like elements and hook-like memberspermits the shoulder straps to be completely detached from the garment,if so desired.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity ofconstruction, in its convenient adjustability and in its adaptabilityfor embodiment in shoulder strap-type garments of various types asaforesaid.

With the foregoing more important objects and features in view and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the construction of the invention will be understood from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein like characters of reference are employed to designatelike parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a brassiere embodying the invention,in position on the body of a wearer;

Figure 2 is a developed plan view of the brassiere per se;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail on an enlarged scale showing theloop-like elements on the garment and the hook-like member on theshoulder strap, the hook-like member being separated from the loop-likeelements;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail similar to that shown in Figure 3 butshowing the hook-like member engaged with the loop-like elements;

Figure 5 is a sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of theline 5-5 in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail illustrating a slightly modified formof the loop-like elements; I

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view, similar to that shown inFigure 1 but illustrating the shoulder strap as being adjustablyconnected to a breast cup of the brassiere at a point spaced downwardlyfrom its upper edge;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the invention as usedfor adjusting the effective length of a shoulder strap;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary detail of the shoulder strap used in thearrangement of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of theline 10-10 in Figure 8.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, particularly toFigures 1-5 thereof, the invention for illustrative purposes is shown asbeing embodied in a brassiere including a'body portion 11 and a pair ofshoulder straps 12. As already noted, the invention concerns itself witha separable, adjustable connection of the shoulder straps to the bodyportion, and these connecting means involve the provision of a row ofloop like fastener elements 13 extending in a substantially peripheraldirection along the upper edge of the body portion 11, both at the frontand the back of the garment. As is best shown in Figure 3, the elements13 may assume the form of a continuous lace or tape with widely spacedcords, such a lace being secured to the body portion 11 along both sideedges thereof by the lines of stitching 14, 15. ha lace of this form,two zig-zagging cords are utilized in an overlapping or crossing manneras illustrated. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 6, the lace 16 mayhave only one cord arranged in a zig-zag' manner to form the loop-likeelements above referred to.

Coacting with the loop-like elements 13 is a hookshaped fastener member17 affixed in a conventional manner to each end of each of the twoshoulder straps 12. This fastener member may be of the variety wellknown in the art. When the shoulder straps are to be connected to thebody of the garment, the hook-shaped members 17 are simply engaged withthe loop-shaped elements 13 at the particular points where theconnection of the straps to the body of the garment is to be made.

It will be readily apparent from the foregoing that in this manner thetransverse distance between the connected shoulder straps may be variedas desired, and a similar variation may be also elfected in terms of thepositional relationship of the straps to the garment body, so that inany event, the straps may be adjusted as required for proper comfort andappearance of the wearer.

As already noted, the adjustment is facilitated at both the front andthe back of the garment and if the garment has an upper edge of a risingand falling configuration, as for example the brassiere shown herein,the attachment of the shoulder straps at diiferent distances apart mayalso result in a variation of their effective length, depending on whatparticular points on the upper edge of the garment the straps areattached.

If the variation in the effective length of the straps as produced bythe transverse adjustment thereof is not desired, the straps may beadjusted as to effective length by conventional buckles 18. In anyevent, it will be noted that a wide range of adjustment is provided bythe invention, such as can satisfy any given condition.

Figure 7 illustrates a slightly modified arrangement of the inventionwherein the row of loop-like elements 13 is provided in an arcuate formon the breast cup of the body 11 together.

brassiere, so that-the attachment of the shoulder strap canbe'eifectedat a point spaceddownwardly from the upper edge of the garment. As willbe observed, this arrangement also facilitates transverse adjustment ofthe straps-{that is, to-vary the distancebetween-the straps, as well asa yariation in the etiective length of the straps resultingfrom'thearcuate, rising and falling contour of the row of the elements13 on the breast cups.

FiguresS-lO inclusive show another modified arrangement of the inventionwherein the loop-like elements 13, instead :of being provided on thebody of the garment, are arranged-in a row extending longitudinally onthe "shouldenstraps 12a. The hook-like fastener members *-17, -insteadof being provided on the shoulder straps, are mounted at the upper edgeof the garmentand, of course, are separably and selectively engageablewith the'elements' 13-0n thestraps. -In this manner the effective lengthof the shoulder straps may be varied as *desired and the use of theconventional buckles such as are shown at 18 is unnecessary.

In all forms of the invention the separable connection of the hook-likemembers and loop-like elements permits the shoulder straps to becompletely removed from the garment, if so desired. With reference toFigure 2, it will be observed that the broad teachings of theinventionmay be extended also to a separable connection of the-endsofthebody portion 11 at the back of the brassiere. These ends areusually connected together by --metallic hooks and eyes which requirecareful stitching to the brassiere at predetermined, fixed points byspecial machinery. However, in accordance with the invention, alace ofloop-like elements 19, the same as or similar to the elements 13, issimply stitched in a vertical position by a conventional sewing machineto one end of the brassiere body, and the usual hooks 20 at the otherend of the brassiere body may be simply engaged with the elements 19 toseparably connect the ends of the By virtue of their flexibility, theelements 19 do not require precise positioning to facilitate properengagement of the hooks 20 therewith and the fabrication of the garmentis materially simplified. If preferred, two laces of the elements 19 maybe used in vertically-spaced, circumferentially extending position forselective engagement by the two hooks 20, whereby -anadjustment of theefiective circumference of the 'brassiere may be obtained.

a It is to be understood that the particular elements -13, 16, 19-andthe-particular-members 17, 20 have been shown for illustrativepurposes only, and that various other elements and members may be alsoutilized. As such, the loop-like elements may take the form ofindividual eyes of metal, plastic, or other material, aflixed atpredetermined points to the garment, and the hook-like members may takethe form of simple hooks, buttons, or the like.

While in the foregoing there have been disclosed the preferredembodiment of the invention, various modifications may become apparentto those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly,it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure and variousmodifications may be resorted to, such as may lie within the spirit andscope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is:

In a shoulder strap-type garment, the combination of a garment bodyhaving a free upper edge, a shoulder strap,.and means separably andadjustably connecting said strap to said body, said means comprising atape extending longitudinally on the upper edge portion of the body sothat the upper edge portion of the body underlies the full width of thetape, parallel lines of stitching extending through both longitudinaledges of said tape and securing the same to said body, said tapeincluding a zig-Zag' element atfording a longitudinally extending row ofloops between said lines of stitching, and a hook-shaped connectingmember provided on said shoulder strap, said hook-shaped member beingseparably and selectively connectable with said loops for adjusting thepoint of attachment of the shoulder strap to the body in a directionlongitudinally of said tape, and the upper edge portion of the bodyunderlying and secured to said tape by said lines of stitching servingto hold the tape flat against the body to resist accidental separationof said connecting member therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,055,094 Zweben Sept. 22, 1936 2,222,687 Rosenthal et al. Nov. 26, 19402,400,499 Gerace May 21, 1946 2,423,046 Patterson June 24, 19472,714,211 Davis Aug. 2, 1955

